A Journey's Start
by bradleyan
Summary: All journeys start somewhere, even the Dragonborn's. Not beta read. Any help welcome.
1. Chapter 1

"_You are the Dragonborn."_

"_You have been summoned to High Hrothgar."_

"_As Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun and appoint Lydia as your personal Housecarl."_

Danica sat at the Jarl's table in the hall and rubbed her head as if to ease her troubled mind, in the duration of a week she had gone from a condemned prisoner to town messenger to an arrogant wizard's personal gopher and a budding Companion. Now to this lengthy list of roles she had added dragon slayer and a mystical being called a Dragonborn, and to top it all off she was somehow so helpful to the Jarl that it had resulted in her becoming a Thane.

"_A Thane is more than a title Little One, a good Thane will look after those in their charge and take responsibility for both their well-being and their actions. They set the example for how they expect their followers to act and strive to make them proud to serve them," her father explained to her as she sat on his lap while her mother cooked dinner. _

_ "Bjorn, she's six, she wanted a story of one of your adventures, not a cultural lesson on Skyrim," her mother Caitlin said with a smile looking up from her food preparation. _

_ "I know that Love, but she needs to know what a Thane is to understand the story" he said with his own smile._

Danica placed a hand over her heart and squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to retain the warmth the memory brought while banishing the pain that haunted her mind. Her heart, her soul even, still hurt to remember her parents, their loss, but she was determined to make her parents proud, even if she had no idea what she was doing anymore, Helgen had seen to that. Right now she would just do the best she could, starting with finding her Housecarl. She tucked hair that escaped her ponytail behind her ear and stood from the table to find the Housecarl.

Lydia stood at the main doors to Dragonsreach, her Thane would be showing up soon and she wanted to be prepared. She fidgeted in her new armor, well new to her. It was a set of unused steel armor that had been in the guard's barracks since Divines' know when, and her fellow guards had encouraged her to take it now that she was a newly appointed Housecarl. She knew little about the man named Thane, only heard as had others that he had killed the dragon at the Western Watchtower and was Dragonborn. That impressed her, she got to serve the Dragonborn, the epitome of Nordic heroism.

She was distracted from her thoughts by an imperial woman coming from the main hall. The girl caught her eye and headed over to her.

"Excuse me," she started

"I'm rather busy right now," Lydia said cutting her off, she needed to be ready for when her Thane came from meeting with the Jarl, not talking to some lost traveler who made it to Dragonsreach.

"Oh, doing what," the girl asked tilting her head like a dog as she pondered Lydia.

"If you must know I am waiting for the newly appointed Thane, I am to be his Housecarl," She said with pride.

"Oh so you've met him before," the girl said trying to smother a grin.

"No, but the Jarl appointed the Dragonborn as Thane, so I know what to expect," Lydia rolled her eyes at the clueless imperial.

"And just what are you expecting?" the girl asked growing serious again.

"A man, a Nord man that is probably a warrior. That is what all the stories of the past Dragonborns speak of," Lydia said hoping that by giving the girl answers she would go away.

"Would you be very disappointed if that wasn't the case Lydia?" the girl asked looking a little crestfallen.

"What? Why wouldn't that be the case? And how do you know my name I never told you," Lydia said confused.

"Your right you didn't, but the Jarl did when I was speaking to him."

"You spoke to the Jarl?" Lydia asked quietly with dread.

"Yes, when he gave me this," the girl said taking the Axe of Whiterun from the back of her belt, where Lydia hadn't seen it.

Lydia closed her eyes as horror and embarrassment washed over her. The Dragonborn, her Thane, was standing before her, and not only had she not recognized her, she had probably insulted her by saying that the Dragonborn could only be a Nordic Man.

"My Thane, I spoke out of turn on matters that I know nothing about, you have my sincerest apologies," Lydia said trying to salvage the situation, dipping her head to the girl in deference.

"No I apologize, I wasn't trying to entrap you, only gather your honest opinion before you knew who I was, and you're not the first person I've disappointed," the imperial girl said with a self-depreciating smile, "why don't we start over. I am Danica Lyonesse."

"I am Lydia, Jarl Balgruuf has appointed me to be your personal Housecarl. It is an honor to serve you my Thane," Lydia said dipping her head once again to the girl in respect.

Danica looked at her curiously "we've only just met. How could it be an honor to serve me if you don't even know me?"

"I, uh, I mean,"

"Never mind, stupid question sorry. However what exactly is a Thane? I have a vague idea but I just want to be sure,"

"The Jarl has recognized you as a person of great importance in the hold, a hero. The title of Thane is an honor, a gift for your service." Lydia said feeling comfortable with the conversation again.

"Alright, and what does a Housecarl do?" Dani asked.

"As my Thane, I'm sworn to your service. I'll guard you, and all you own, with my life." Lydia said seriously.

"So if I say to charge into battle with bandits you're just going to say yes and do it, because your honor won't allow you to disobey an order" Dani asked her brow furrowing.

"Well, yes something like that." Lydia said flustered.

"Hmm, I'd like to discuss this more but somewhere less public if you don't mind," Danica said starting towards the doors of the great hall.

"As you command my Thane," Lydia said falling into step behind the imperial girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Lydia sat at the bar in the Bannered Mare nursing her Honningbrew mead while Mikael caterwauled in the background. Currently she was ruminating on her Thane, a rather puzzling conundrum. Danica Lyonesse was a contradiction in itself, Danica was a fierce warrior in battle and with Lydia's assistance she had cleared out seven bandit camps within the Whiterun hold, yet Danica was also very compassionate, helping most of the populace of Whiterun with one task or another, from running frost salts to Acadia for Farengar, and finding Ysolda a mammoth's tusk to recovering Amren's family sword and assisting the Alik'r warriors catch the fugitive Saadia. She had endeared herself to the town without even trying. Her latest adventure had been to become a fully-fledged Companion at Jorrvaskr and Lydia had been left to cool her heels in Dragonsreach as her Thane spent much of her time doing tasks with her shield siblings. Lydia grimaced at her wooden cup before throwing it back and motioning Hulda for another mead.

The doors to the Mare opened and rowdy yelling and cold air filled the inn. Lydia hadn't finished her first sip when she heard a voice that made her roll her eyes at her cup.

"Look here boys, Lydia taking a break from helping her esteemed Thane," a loud voice said as Lydia felt a presence off to her side, " If you've got something to say Avukr, then say it before what wit you have left flees your tiny brain, I'm sure its lonely rattling around in your skull all alone." Lydia turned on her stool to face the inn in time to see the other men with Avukr laugh at his expense while the man in question flushed red in irritation.

"Oh, I see, you're a Housecarl now, and too good for your fellow guards. That snootiness must have rubbed off on you from that imperial wench you've been following after." Avukr leaned down getting in Lydia's space "at least we still know what it means to be a Nord, you're stuck with a thane that's not even worth the title. She's supposed to be the Dragonborn, but the Greybeards summoned her weeks ago and she still hasn't answered the call. Truly the Jarl shamed you when he made you an Imperials Housecarl" Lydia shot up off her stool startling Avukr making him step back as she got in his face "I'm still a Nord, just as much as you, I serve with dignity and honor and keep my oath even to an unworthy thane, it's not my fault she's an Imperial, now shut your mouth before I make you." Avukr looked around and finding no support from his friends waved Lydia off and they went to sit at a table.

Lydia sighed rubbing her temple before catching movement across the room. In the doorway to the kitchen Hulda stood, arms crossed glaring at her, and by her side was Danica. Lydia's blood ran cold as she met her thane's eyes, only for the girl to look away and bolt for the kitchen door. "Shit," Lydia said before sprinting for the Mare's main doors. Lydia exited the inn in time to catch sight of a figure bolting up the stairs to the Wind district and gave chase, keeping the figure in sight as she tried to keep up, yet her thane entered Jorrvaskr before she could reach her. Out of breath she wrenched the door open only to be met with an indomitable wall.

"You need something," Farkas said blocking the way into Jorrvaskr with his body, arms crossed.

"Farkas, did Danica come through here, I need to speak with her."

"She did but she's busy,"

"Busy?" Lydia said with dread, "yeah, had to meet Skjor or Aela about something,"

"I just need to talk with her a minute,"

"I don't think she wants to talk to you Lydia"

"Did she say that?" Lydia asked sadly.

Farkas sighed heavily before saying "look she was upset, and didn't want to see you, but she told me to give you this if you stopped by." Farkas took something from his belt pouch, handing it to Lydia, who stared questioningly at the key in her hand.

"What's this?"

"It's the key to Breezehome, Dani finally saved up enough to get it."

"I didn't even know she wanted to buy Breezehome,"

"Really? She kept talking about having someplace to come back to when she left to see the Greybeards, and she didn't want you to have to keep bunking in Dragonsreach, something about her responsibility to the well-being of those sworn to her," Farkas tilted his head to the side curiously, reminding Lydia of a puppy, "she didn't mention any of this to you?"

"No," Lydia whispered, curling her fingers around the key and bringing it to her chest as she turned to leave, her head hung low with the weight of her shame.


End file.
